Electrically-operated device.



F. CONRAD.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20, 190s.

Patented Nov. 2, 19i5.

30 NVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK CONRAD, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed September 20, 1906. Serial No. 335,525.

To all whom it may concern and State of Pennsylvania, have invente d anew and useful Improvement in ElectrlcallyOperated Devices, of whichthefo'll owing is a specification.

My invention relates to electro-magnetically operated switches and otherdevices, and particularly to such as are adapted to be actuated byalternating currents.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated, whereby predetermined conditions may be maintained when thecurrents traversing the circuit to which it is connected are of lessthan a given frequency of alternation, and whereby other conditions maybe established when the currents in the circuit are of a higherfrequency. 1

Whilev the invention is adapted to other and more extended applications,it is particularly useful in signal systems for electric railways inwhich alternating currents are employed to operate both the signals andthe railway vehicles. As sometimes arranged, the track rails areutilized as conductors not only in the railwaysystem, but also in thesignal system, the currents for operating the signals being of adifferent frequency from those that operate the vehicle motors. It istherefore desirable that someidevice be provided for controlling theoperation of the signals that shall not be responsive to currents of thefrequency that operate the vehicle motors, and it is the object of thepresent invention to provide such a device.

Figure 1 of the "accompanying drawing is a view, partially in sideelevation and partially in section, of a device constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a simple diagrammatic view of asystem in which my invention may be conveniently employed, and Fig. 3 isa modification of the device of Fig. 1.

The legs of a substantially U-shaped magnetizable core 1 are providednear their outer ends and upon their inner opposing faces with polarprojections 2, 3, 4 and 5, the diagonally oplposite projections 2 and 5being longer than the other pair of diagonally opposite projections 3and 4. The core 1 is provided with a main winding that comprises twocoils 6 and 7, while the longer or at one end of each section or block.

polar projections 2 and 5 are surrounded by suitable closed circuitwindings 8 and 9. Pivotally-mounted between the polar projections is amagnetizable armature 10 having a flexible switch member 11 that isadapted to engage a stationary contact terminal 12. p The armature 10 isnormally maintained in the position shown by means of a helical tensionspring 13 that serves also to c'onduct the current from a stationarytermlnal 14: to the switch member 11. The magnetizable core and thewindings therefor are so constructed and proportioned that,

when currents of less than a predetermined frequency traverse the coils6 and 7, the closed circuit'coils 8 and 9 will exert a comparativelyslight choking effect upon the .flux from the polar projections 2 and 5,and

since these projections are nearer to the movable armature 10 than theremaining polar projections, the armature will be maintained in theposition shownboth by the magnetic fluxes and the spring 13. At andabove a higher frequency, however, the windings 8 and 9 will offer ahigher impedance and greater amounts of flux will be caused to traversethe shorter projections 3 and A than the longer projections 2 and 5. Thearmature 10 will consequently be rotated in such a direction as to causethe switch member 11 to engage the stationary contact terminal 12.

. As here shown, the device is employed in a signalsystem for railways,in which one of the track rails is divided into a plurality of sectionsor blocks 15 and 16 that are insulated from each other, and in whichsecondary winding 17 of a transformer 18 is connected between the saidsections and the other track rail 19. Primary winding 20 of thetransformer 18 is supplied, from any suitable source such as that shownat 21,

with currents that are of a different and preferably higher frequencythan that which may be employed to operate the motors of vehicles uponthe railway system. One of the devices constituting the presentinvention is connected between the track rails near The switch member 11and the stationary contact member 12 form the terminals of a suitablelocal circuit for controlling the operation of a signal 22,substantially as indicated. When a train or a vehicle occupies the blockor section 15, the secondary winding 17 of the transformer 18 isshort-circuited thereby,

and little or no current traverses the main winding of the switchingdevice. When the block is vacant, however, the main winding of theswitching device is energized with high frequency currents and theswitch member 11 is drawn into engagement with the stationary contactterminal 12, the local circuit being thereby established and the signal2:2 is set in safety position. If'lower frequency currents are in any"manner caused to traverse the main winding of the relay device, it willbe understood from the fore going description that the switch is notoperated and the indications of the signals are consequently notinterfered with.

structurally, the relay device may assume many desired and "convenientforms, one that is especially simple being shown in Fig. 3, in which oneof the inner faces of a substantially rectangular core 23 has a polarprojection 24 hearing. an exciting winding 25, and the opposite face hastwo polar projections 26 and 27 of unequal length, the longerprojections 26 being provided with a closed circuit winding 28. Anarmature 29 is normally maintained in the position shown by means of aspring 30, and is moved from that position only when the winding 25 istraversed by currents of greater than a predetermined frequency whichcause a greater amount of flux to traverse the shorter projection 27than the projection 26. i

The device may be employed in connection with direct current railwaysystems as well as in alternating current systems, and it is, of course,not limited in its application to signal systems, but may be employed inother systems where similar conditions prevail.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical device comprising awinding, a core member thereforhaving two poles that are continuously of like polarity, and an armaturethat is movable relatively to the core member and opposite ends of whichare subjected to opposing influences by the respective poles of likepolarity.

2. The combination with a movable armature, of a magnetizable corehaving a pair of unequally extendingpolar projections of 1 likepolarity, a magnetizing winding therefor, and a closed circuit windingfor the longer polar projection.

3. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member thereforhaving two poles of like polarity, an armature that is movablerelatively to the core member and opposite ends of which are subjectedto opposing influences by the respective poles of like polarity, andmeans for delaying changes of flux in one of said poles.

4. An electrical device comprising a windmg, a core member thereforhaving two poles of like polarity, an armature that is movablerelatively to the core member and opposite ends of which are subjectedto opposing influences by the respective poles of like polarity, and aclosed circuit Winding surrounding one of the said poles.

5. The combination with a magnetizable core having a pair of polarprojections of each polarity, of a main winding therefor, closed circuitwindings for one projection of each pair, and a movable armature that isnormally disposed nearer one projection of each pair than to the others.

6. The combination with a magnetizable core having a pair of polarprojections of each polarity, of a movable armature that is normallydisposed nearer one projection of each pair than to the others, a mainwinding for the core, and closed circuit windings for the projectionsthat the armature is normally nearest to.

7. The combination with a magnetizable core having two pairs ofunequally projecting pole pieces, and a movable armature between thesame, of a main winding for the core, and closed circuit windings forone pole piece of each pair.

8. The combination with a magnetizable core having two pairs ofunequally projecting pole pieces, and a movable armature between thesame, of a main winding for the core, and closed circuit windings forthe longer pole pieces.

9. The combination with a magnetizable core having polar projectionsthat extend unequal distances from opposite inner sides thereof, of amovable armature between the projections, a main winding for the core,and closed circuit windingsfor one of the projections from each side ofthe core.

10. The combination with a magnetizable core having polar projectionsthat extend unequal distances from opposite inner sides thereof, of amovable armature between the projections, a main winding for the core,and closed circuit windings for the longer polar projections.

11: An electromagnetic device comprising a winding, a core thereforaffording two magnetic paths the reluctance of one of which issubstantially invariable, means for rendering the reluctance of theother path dependent upon the frequency of the current traversing thesaid winding, and an armature movably mounted in the said paths andhaving its opposite ends subjected to opposing influences by the fluxestraversing the respective paths.

12. A relay comprising a core having two sets of poles, an energizingwinding which at times is traversed by two alternating currents ofdifferent frequencies, means associated with the core for having one setof poles stronger than the other set of poles when the winding istraversed by one of the alternating currents, and other meansassociated, with the core for having the second set of poles strongerthan the first mentioned set when the winding is traversed by the secondalternating current, and a vanemovable in one direction by one set ofpoles and in the opposite direction by the other set of poles.

18. A relay comprising a core having two sets of poles, a winding forsaid core which is at times traversed by two alternating currents ofdifferent frequencies, a vane movable in one direction by one set ofpoles when the winding is traversed by the alternating current of thehigher frequency and movable in a reverse direction by the second set ofpoles when the magnetic field produced by said alternating current oflower frequency is dominant in said second set of poles.

14. A relay comprising a core having two sets of poles, an energizingcoil which at times is traversed by two alternating currents ofdifferent frequencies, and means associated with the core for having oneset of poles cause a stronger turning effort than the other set when thecoil is traversed by one of said alternating currents, and a vanemovable in response to the turning effort of said setof poles.

15. A relay comprising a core having two sets of poles, an energizingcoil which at times is traversed by two alternating currents ofdifferent frequencies, means associated with the core for having one setof poles cause a stronger turning effort than the other set when thecoil is traversed by one of the alternating currents, and for having thesecond set of poles produce a stronger turning movement than the firstmentioned set when the coil is traversed by the second alternatingcurrent, and a vane movable in one direction by one set of poles and inthe opposite or reverse direction by the other set of poles.

16. A relay comprising a core having two sets of poles, a coil for saidcore which is at times traversed by two alternating currents ofdifferent frequencies, a vane movable'in one direction by one set ofpoles when the coil is traversed by the alternating current of thehigher frequency and movable in a reverse direction by the second set ofpoles when the'eflect of the magnetic field produced by said alternatingcurrent of lower frequency dominates the effect of magnetic field due toalternating current of higher.

frequency.

17 A relay comprising an energizing coil adapted at times to betraversed by alternating currents of different frequencies, a corehaving two magnetic paths, a vane within the influence of the fluxtraversing both of said magnetic paths, and means for causing the fluxtraversing one path or the other to exert a superior turning movementing currents of different frequencies, acore on the vane according towhat frequency of alternating current is traversing the coil.

18. A relay comprising an energizing coil adapted at times to betraversed by alternathaving two magnetic paths, a vane within theinfluence of the flux traversing both of said magnetic paths, and meansassociated with the core divisions causing a turning effort in onedirection with a high frequency energizing current and causing orpermitting a motion in the opposite direction with an energizing currentof low. frequency.

19. A relay comprising a magnetizing winding, a core divided outside ofsaid winding to form two paths for the flux threading said coil, meansfor producing magnetic dissimilarity of the two paths, a vane mountedwithin the influence of the flux traversing both paths and oppositelyaffected by the flux traversing the two paths, and contacts controlledby the motion of said vane.

20. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member thereforhaving two poles that are continuously of like polarity, an armaturethat is movable relatively to the core member and opposite ends of whichare normally .spaced unequally from the said poles and are respectivelysubjected to the influence thereof.

21. An electromagnet comprising a magnetizing winding, and a core memberand an armature providing a magnetic circuit therefor and havingaplurality of paths in which the ratio of the fluxes changes as thecondition of the current in the magnetizing winding changes, thearmature being oppositely influenced by the fluxes traversing said pathsand being actuated in accordance with the changes in the ratio of thefluxes in the magnetic paths.

22. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member thereforhaving two poles of like polarity, an armature that is movablerelatively to the core member and opposite ends of which are subjectedto opposing influences by the respective poles of like polarity, andmeans whereby the relation of the magnetic pulls exerted upon oppositeends of the armature is caused to reverse upon the occurrence of apredeterminedchange in an electrical condition of the current traversingthe said winding.

23. An electromagnet comprising a magnetizing winding, a core memberproviding a magnetic circuit therefor and having a plurality of pathsbetween which a redistribution of the fluxes occurs with a predeterminedchange in the condition of the current in the magnetizing winding, andan armature oppositely influenced by the fluxes traversing said pathsand actuated in accordance with the redistribution of the fluxes.

24. An electromagnet comprising a core member having two magnetic paths,means for causing said paths to have different reluctances underpredetermined conditions, and an armature that is movable relatively tothe core member and is oppositely i11- fluenced by-the fluxes traversingthe two paths.

25. An electromagnet comprising a core member having two magnetic pathsof normally different reluctances, means for reversing therelation ofthe reluctances of the said magnetic paths under predeterminedsions ofthe magnetic circuit, and a closed circuit coil surrounding one of thedivisions of the magnet circuit.

27. An electrical. device comprising a winding, a core member thereforhaving a divided magnetic circuit, an'armature that is intermediatelypivoted and the ends of which are oppositely influenced by the fluxestraversing the respective divisions of the magnetic circuit, and aclosed circuit coil surrounding one of the divisions of the magneticcircuit. I

28. A switch for electrical circuits comprising an intermediatelypivoted armature, a switch member actuated thereby and nor-. mallymaintained in open switch position, core member having a dividedmagnetic circuit, the ends of the armature being oppositely influencedby the fluxes traversing the respective divisions thereof, an energizingwinding for the core member, and a closed circuit winding surroundingone of the divisions of the magnetic circuit.

29. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member thereforhaving a divided magnetic circuit, an armature that is movablerelatively to the core member and the ends of which are oppositelyinfluenced by the fluxes traversing the respective divisions of themagnetic circuit, and means for delaying changes of flux in one of thedivisions of the magnetic circuit.

30. An electrical device comprising a core member having two poles oflike polarity and another pole of opposite polarity, a main windingsurrounding the latter pole, a closed circuit winding surrounding one ofthe other poles, and an armature that is invtermediately pivoted andopposite ends of which are subjected to opposing influences by therespective poles of like polarity.

31. An electrical device comprising a core member having two poles oflike polarity and another pole of opposite polarity, a

main windingsurrounding the latter pole, a closed circuit windingsurrounding one of the other poles, and an armature that isintermediately pivoted and opposite ends of which are subjected to theinfluence ofthe poles of like polarity, the air gaps between the ends offiearmature and the said poles of like polarity being normally ofdiflierent widths.

32. An electrical device comprising a core member having two poles'oflike polarity and another pole of opposite polarity, a

main winding surrounding the latter pole, and an armature that isintermediately pivoted and opposite ends of which are subjected toopposing influences by the respective poles of like polarity.

33. An electrical device comprising a core member having two poles oflike polarity and an intermediate pole of opposite polarity, a mainwinding surrounding the intermediate pole, a closed circuit windingsurrounding one of the other poles, and an divided magnetic circuit, anarmature thatis movable relatively to the core member and upon whichopposing forces are exerted by the fluxes traversing the respectivedivislons of the magnetic circuit, and a closed circuit windingsurrounding one of the divisions of the magnetic circuit.

36. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member thereforaffording two magnetic paths the reluctance of one of which issubstantially invariable, and the effective reluctance of the other pathbeing dependent upon the rate of change of the current traversing thesaid winding, and an armature movably mounted in the said paths andoppositely influenced by them.

37. An electrical device comprising a winding, a core member dividedoutside of said winding to form two paths for the flux threadingtherethrough, the said paths being magnetically dissimilar, and amovable member mounted within the influence of the fluxes traversing thetwo paths and oppositely affected thereby.

38. An electrical device comprising .a winding the currents in whichproduce nonopposing fluxes, and magnetizable material and an armatureproviding two dissimilar magnetic paths, the armature being nor-.

mally unequally spaced from the two paths in the magnetizable materialand being oppositely influenced by the fluxes traversing the said twopaths.

39. An electrical device comprising a winding the currents in whichproduce nonopposing fluxes, and magnetizable material and an armatureproviding two dissimilar magnetic paths, the armature being normallyunequally spaced from the two paths in the magnetizable material andbeing op-- positely influenced by the fluxes traversing the said twopaths, and a closed circuit winding surrounding one of the said paths.

40. An electrical device comprising a winding that is energizedthroughout its full length under all normal operating conditions, andmagnetizable material and an armature providing two magnetic paths, thearmature being normally unequally spaced from the two paths in themagnetizable material, and being oppositely 1nfluenced by thefluxestraversing the said 2 two paths.

41. An electrical device comprising a winding that is energizedthroughout its full length under all normal operating conditions,magnetizable material and an arma- 3 ture providing two magnetic paths,the armature being normally unequally spaced from the two paths in themagnetizable material, and being oppositely influenced by the fluxestraversing the said two paths, and 3 means for retarding changes of theflux in one of the said paths.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th dayof September, 1906.

, FRANK CONRAD. Witnesses:

()rro S. SCHAIRER, BIRNEY Hines.

